What:

The USPS is flexing its network to meet peak volumes during the most hectic mailing period of the year. What used to be termed the “busiest mailing day” of the year is now the “busiest week” for shipping and delivery. This holiday season the Postal Service expects to process and deliver 200 million packages per week for the two weeks leading up to Christmas, representing a 10% increase in package volume this holiday period.

Of the 15 billion total pieces of mail expected to be processed and delivered between Thanksgiving and New year’s Day, more than 850 million will be packages, 100 million more than the 2016 holiday period.

The Priority Mail Annex in Burlingame will process more than 154,000 parcels, 20,000 more than last year.

When:

Monday, December 18, between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM

Where:

Burlingame Priority Mail Annex (PMA), 1625 Rollins Rd. Burlingame, CA 94010

MEDIA ALERT: For entry into the Burlingame facility, contact  Irma Plyer at (c) 650.271.2953 or email Irma.L.Plyer@usps.gov

Background:   

The San Francisco postal district is moving packages much faster now that it has two of the newest package sorting systems at the Burlingame PMA. With two SPSS machines, the facility has increased its handling volume by more than 80,000 parcels compared to the two peak Mondays last year. The SPSS sorts packages that weigh 20 pounds or less — the kind that many retailers use to fulfill orders from online shoppers.

The USPS is flexing its network to meet peak mail volumes. What that means is we are flexing our processing and delivery muscle through the use of sophisticated package sorting systems that the USPS deployed when it became apparent there was a growth market driven by increased online consumer spending.

As a result of the ability to flex our network, the USPS owns 46.5 percent of the package delivery market as more shoppers and shippers continue to use the USPS as the courier of choice because of three key factors – our price, our product, and our performance.